Newark, NJ—Cataracts affect more than half of Americans age 65 and older. The leading
cause of blindness in the world, cataracts cloud the lens of the eye resulting
in vision impairment. Saint Michael’s Medical Center advises community
members to take control of their eye health and know the signs and symptoms
of cataracts during Cataract Awareness Month, August.

“Cataracts are most often caused by our normal aging process,”
said Matthew Marano, M.D., chief of Ophthalmology, SMMC. “Other
contributing factors may include too much exposure to sunlight, trauma,
certain medications, or genetics.”

A cataract may not affect your vision noticeably at first, but as it continues
to grow your vision may become affected in any of the following ways:

Fading or dimness of colors

Cloudy or blurry vision

Difficulty reading small print

Difficulty seeing while driving—especially at night

Seeing halos or auras around lights

Frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions

“Cataracts tend to develop slowly, but will start to interfere with
one’s vision over time,” added Dr. Marano. “Patients
often describe their vision as looking through a fogged-up window. This
impaired sight can become frustrating, as it begins to affect people’s
daily activities, in which case surgery is needed.”

Since the only effective treatment for cataracts is surgery, those with
cataracts usually wait to seek treatment when their daily activities become
limited, affecting their quality of life. “Each case is different,”
said Dr. Marano. “It is important that each individual speaks with
his or her eye doctor to weight the benefits and risks of cataract surgery
and determine if and when to intervene.”

At SMMC, Board-certified eye-care physicians and surgeons treat patients
with cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other conditions.
For more information about ophthalmology services at SMMC or to schedule
an appointment, please call 973.877.5000.

Established by the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor in 1867, Saint Michael’s
Medical Center is a 357-bed regional tertiary-care, teaching, and research
center in the heart of Newark’s business and educational district.
Saint Michael’s Medical Center is currently a member of CHE- Trinity
Health. More information is available atwww.smmcnj.org.